At long last, Microsoft acknowledges the impact open source and open standards have had not only on its business but, more important, on the industry as a whole. That came as the software giant promised “greater transparency” in its development and business practices and outlined a new strategy to provide more access to APIs and proprietary protocols. Related: Microsoft opens APIs. McAfee says that virus writers are acting locally. No longer interested in worldwide fanfare, or the law enforcement efforts that brings, malware creators, instead, are becoming more crafty with attacks and targeting users in specific regions. Cisco tries to turn cities green in order to battle climate change; CEO John Chambers told government officials that instead of working individually, pioneering cities should work with each other and private industry to create a “replicable blueprint” for making urban centers friendlier to the environment. Analysts predict that NAND flash memory prices will plummet which, in turn, will bring down the cost of consumer products, including Apple iPods, as well as other MP3 players, digital cameras. Even with its proposed Yahoo acquisition holding the potential to disrupt the company’s entire search strategy, Microsoft forges ahead with enterprise and Internet search technologies, including Live offerings and products to come out of its purchase of FAST. And Hewlett-Packard’s former managing director in India, Som Mittal, faces prosecution charges for not providing adequate security to employees. Software Development